Why Mataariki is a Great Time To Begin Your Kākahu Journey

Matariki is a time when the crisp, cool of early nights draws you inside to hunker down and turn inwards. It's the perfect time to start planting the seeds of your weaving dreams and make plans to bring those dreams to reality.

If you've been thinking about weaving kākahu, especially something like a korowai, then winter in the southern hemisphere is the time to begin honing your skills for the mammoth task that weaving a korowai is. (If you're in the northern hemisphere from June-August then you'll be thinking about harvesting for raranga).

Taaniko is the best thing to learn and practise first because it's one of those great indoor activities to do when you want to snuggle up on the sofa, keep warm and shut out the rest of the world.

Once you've honed your taaniko skills through the winter months you'll be able to move on to hieke by the spring and by the time summer comes, you'll be finishing that hieke and ready to dive into learning piupiu. There will be plenty of sunny days for harvesting harakeke and working on your piupiu.

Then by next winter you could be weaving a maro and planning your first korowai.

We hope that inspires you to consider making a start today - while the seven sisters are winking at you saying "Come on! Time to sparkle".

Why put it off for another year? when you can start dreaming, planning and working toward weaving your whānau legacy today.